{"id":164395,"date":"2018-09-27T14:11:27","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T14:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&#038;p=164395"},"modified":"2020-07-22T00:49:35","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T04:49:35","slug":"general-assembly-general-debate-10th-and-11th-meetings-press-release-ga12068-excerpts","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/general-assembly-general-debate-10th-and-11th-meetings-press-release-ga12068-excerpts\/","title":{"rendered":"General Assembly General Debate (10th and 11th Meetings) \u2013 Press Release (GA\/12068) (Excerpts)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right\"><strong><span class=\"meeting-session\">SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION,<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"meeting-information\">10TH &amp; 11TH MEETINGS (AM &amp; PM)<br \/>\nGA\/12068<br \/>\n<\/span>27 September 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.un.org\/press\/fr\/2018\/ag12068.doc.htm\">fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>As the General Assembly entered the third day of its general debate, African leaders underscored their countries\u2019 efforts towards greater democracy and sustainable development, with calls for expanded multilateral cooperation and Security Council reforms.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, urged the Assembly to declare null and void the \u201cNation-State Law of the Jewish People\u201d adopted by Israel in July, saying it will lead to the creation of an apartheid State and nullify the two-State solution.\u00a0 He criticized the President of the United States for, among other things, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital and relocating the United States Embassy to that city.\u00a0 Emphasising that there can be no peace without an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem \u2014 \u201cnot some place in East Jerusalem\u201d \u2014 as its capital, he stated that economic and humanitarian support to Palestinians in the West\u00a0Bank and Gaza Strip, while welcome, cannot substitute for a political solution that will end the Israeli occupation and achieve independence for the State of Palestine on the ground.\u00a0 Palestinians must be viewed as humans, he said, adding: \u00a0\u201cWe are not redundant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>MAHMOUD ABBAS, President of the\u00a0<u>State of Palestine<\/u>, said he has returned to the General Assembly to appeal for the freedom, independence and justice for his oppressed people who have been suffering under the yoke of Israeli occupation for more than 51\u00a0years.\u00a0 He recalled this year\u2019s decision by the Palestinian National Council to suspend Palestinian recognition of Israel until Israel recognizes the State of Palestine.\u00a0 That Council also decided to approach the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel\u2019s treaty violations and acts of aggression by Israeli occupying forces.\u00a0 The \u201cNation-State Law of the Jewish People\u201d adopted by Israel in July is a racist law that will lead to the creation of an apartheid State and nullify the two-State solution, he said, calling on the international community and the General Assembly to declare it null and void, just as they condemned apartheid in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>He expressed shock at decisions taken by the President of the United States to close the Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington, D.C., recognize Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital, transfer the United States Embassy to that city, and end support to the Palestinian National Authority and the Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA).\u00a0 He called on the United States President to rescind those decisions, which went against international law and Â鶹APP resolutions, and salvage the prospects for peace.\u00a0 He recalled his proposal to the Security Council on 20\u00a0February for an international peace conference based on relevant Â鶹APP resolutions and internationally-endorsed terms of reference.\u00a0 Palestinians have never rejected negotiations and they continue to extend their hands for peace, he said.<\/p>\n<p>There can be no peace without an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem \u2014 \u201cnot some place in East Jerusalem\u201d \u2014 as its capital, he continued.\u00a0 Noting that the State of Palestine will chair the Group\u00a0of\u00a077 developing countries and China in 2019, he called on all countries that have not yet done so \u2014 including the United Kingdom and the United States \u2014 to recognize the State of Palestine expeditiously.\u00a0 Emphasizing that Israel, the occupying Power, has not implemented any relevant General Assembly or Security Council resolution, including resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016), and that illegal settlement activity continues, he said the Palestinian people and their State are in more urgent need of international protection that at any time before.<\/p>\n<p>While economic and humanitarian support to Palestinians in the West\u00a0Bank and Gaza Strip is welcome, it cannot substitute for a political solution that will end the Israeli occupation and achieve independence for the State of Palestine on the ground, he pointed out.\u00a0 Nor can it be an alternative to lifting the Israeli blockade or ending the division between the West\u00a0Bank and Gaza.\u00a0 Palestinians must be viewed as humans, he said, adding:\u00a0 \u201cWe are not redundant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Israel and the United States must abide by their agreements with the Palestinians, who will otherwise be unable to uphold their commitments, he said.\u00a0 Underscoring the role of the Quartet for Middle\u00a0East peace, he said the United States alone cannot act as a mediator because it has too much bias towards Israel.\u00a0 On Palestinian reconciliation, he said the State of Palestine cannot bear responsibility for the failure of Hamas to fulfil its obligations, and he urged the Assembly to ensure support for UNRWA.\u00a0 Despite the injustice they face, the Palestinians will never resort to violence and terrorism.\u00a0 He called on the Palestinian people to remain steadfast and to continue to make sacrifices until independence and self-determination are achieved, with East Jerusalem as their capital.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Prime Minister of\u00a0<u>Israel<\/u>,&#8230;Iran has attacked Kurds in Iraq, Sunnis in Syria, financed Hamas in Gaza and fired missiles into Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>He expressed Israel\u2019s appreciation to President Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley for their unwavering support for Israel at the Â鶹APP, including Israel\u2019s right to defend itself.\u00a0 The United States has also backed out of a history\u2011denying Â鶹APP Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization\u00a0(UNESCO) and a morally bankrupt Human Rights Council.\u00a0 It stopped funding an unreformed Â鶹APP Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) that instead of solving the Palestinian refugee problem, perpetuates it.\u00a0 President Trump stood up to what has long been a speciality at the Â鶹APP:\u00a0 slandering Israel.\u00a0 Recalling the Â鶹APP resolution comparing Zionism to racism had been repealed long ago, he said that opinion still lingers at the Organization.\u00a0 Israel is accused of racism, yet its Arab citizens have the same individual rights as all other Israeli citizens.\u00a0 Israel is also accused of apartheid.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the same old anti-Semitism with a brand-new face,\u201d he underscored.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>RALPH E. GONSALVES, Prime Minister of\u00a0<u>Saint Vincent and the Grenadines<\/u>,&#8230;also called for practical resolutions to the pain and suffering of the Palestinians and the people of Yemen.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>JOS\u00c9 M\u00c1RIO VAZ, President of\u00a0<u>Guinea\u2011Bissau<\/u>, expressed concern that many conflicts persist around the world and many people continue to suffer the destruction of war.\u00a0 Millions die or are forced to abandon their homes in search of asylum, he said, emphasizing that \u201cwe cannot remain indifferent to so much suffering and despair\u201d.\u00a0 Spotlighting the plight of those seeking asylum in Europe as well as those in Palestine, Yemen and Syria \u2014 which continues to be a major source of concern for the international community \u2014 he said that on the African continent, internal tensions caused by terrorist groups especially in the Sahel region spread fear among populations and prevent Governments from focusing on development issues.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>AZALI ASSOUMANI, President of the\u00a0<u>Comoros<\/u>, said&#8230;Attention is also urgently needed to address crises in Yemen, Syria and Palestine.\u00a0 On the latter, he pledged his country\u2019s support for the Palestinian people, calling on the General Assembly to shoulder its responsibilities to help those facing grave danger.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>MUHAMMAD JUSUF KALLA, Vice-President of\u00a0<u>Indonesia<\/u>, said&#8230;The commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East will be questioned if the Palestinian\u2011Israeli conflict is not solved, he said, adding that Indonesia supports the two\u2011State solution and a truly independent Palestinian State.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>K. P. SHARMA OLI, Prime Minister of\u00a0<u>Nepal<\/u>, said&#8230;While Nepal\u2019s foreign policy aims for \u201camity with all and enmity with none\u201d, the world is at an important juncture facing many challenges including poverty, terrorism, climate change, food insecurity, forced displacement and intra\u2011State conflicts, he said.\u00a0 In that context, people struggling for rights, liberty, freedom and justice, including in Syria, Yemen and Palestine, must be heard.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>ISMAEL OULD CHEIKH AHMED, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of\u00a0<u>Mauritania<\/u>, noted&#8230;Turning to the question of Palestine, Mauritania calls for a viable solution leading to a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>AUGUSTINE PHILLIP MAHIGA, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the\u00a0<u>United Republic of Tanzania<\/u>, said&#8230;Moving on to other parts of the world, he hoped for the total removal of the embargo against Cuba and a renewed opportunity to resolve issues in Western Sahara and in Palestine.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>MAHMOUD ALI YOUSSOUF, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of\u00a0<u>Djibouti<\/u>, said&#8230;Turning to the issue of Palestine, he said there is no alternative to the two-State solution, and that the plight of Palestinian refugees calls upon all our consciences.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><u>Right of Reply<\/u><\/p>\n<p>The representative of\u00a0<u>Iran<\/u>, speaking in exercise of right of reply, said the Israeli regime has a long history of following an opportunistic policy to mislead others.\u00a0 It aims to divert attention from its inhumane and savage actions towards Palestinians and other Arab nations.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s \u201cshowman\u201d misses no opportunity to tell monstrous lies and distort reality.\u00a0 This is meant to distract attention from his regime\u2019s killing of defenceless women and innocent children.\u00a0 He attempts to mask Israel\u2019s face as the last apartheid regime in the world.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the only regime in the world that openly practices racism,\u201d he said.\u00a0 No amount of lies will ever cover up the criminal nature of Israel, which is led by a corrupt leader who pretends to be progressive and democratic.\u00a0 He compared Israel\u2019s fanaticism to that of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL\/Da\u2019esh) and the Nazis.\u00a0 A democracy for racists that crushes the true owners of Palestine is a mockery and a tyranny, he added.\u00a0 Israel is the enemy of democracy in the Middle East.\u00a0 Israel has violated 300 Security Council resolutions, and the United States has used its veto power a total of 44 times to shield Israel from Security Council resolutions.<\/p>\n<p>\/&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION,\u00a010TH &amp; 11TH MEETINGS (AM &amp; PM) GA\/12068 27 September 2018 fran\u00e7ais \/&#8230; As the General Assembly entered the third day of its general debate, African leaders underscored their countries\u2019 efforts towards greater democracy and sustainable development, with calls for expanded multilateral cooperation and Security Council reforms. \/&#8230; Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/general-assembly-general-debate-10th-and-11th-meetings-press-release-ga12068-excerpts\/\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"template-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[5272,5652,5290,5673,885,888,897,5287,5281,1593,5269,5284,2553],"document-category":[2433,1329],"document-source":[1365,4798,1897,1817],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1741,1961,2185,1805,1749,1905,2309,1745,2741,2117],"entity":[1985,1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-164395","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-comoros","country-croatia","country-djibouti","country-guinea-bissau","country-indonesia","country-iran-islamic-republic-of","country-israel","country-mauritania","country-nepal","country-palestine-state-of","country-saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines","country-tanzania","country-united-states-of-america","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-state","document-source-united-nations-department-of-public-information-dpi","document-source-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-in-the-near-east-unrwa","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-jerusalem","document-subject-legal-issues","document-subject-occupation","document-subject-palestine-question","document-subject-peace-proposals-and-efforts","document-subject-protection","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-statehood-related","document-subject-terrorism","entity-state","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/164395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/164395\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=164395"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=164395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}